


couldn't last long here without you

by buckybarnes



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 15:11:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10969842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckybarnes/pseuds/buckybarnes
Summary: "You’re completely ridiculous. You flew to Germany to see me?""Most people would call it a beautiful, romantic gesture," Alex mutters. "And Germany isn’t even that far away."





	couldn't last long here without you

**Author's Note:**

> our boi billy is a world champion!!! i am very proud of him and no doubt alex is as well. here is some shamelessly romantic fluff because i miss them.
> 
> i tried to be as accurate with the geography as possible but no one's perfect.
> 
> title from "summer of love" by waxahatchee <3

Sweden wins gold, and all Bill can think is how much better it would be if Alex was there.

He’s thrilled, obviously; after the Jackets’ disappointingly short playoff run, coming over to Europe to clear his mind seemed like the obvious thing to do, and he ended up getting a gold medal out of it. Maybe he hadn’t contributed to the win as much as guys like Willy or Nicky, but he’d been a part of the team. He’s part of the celebration, now, Eddie ruffling his hair, messing it up before Bill has the chance to put his cap on. The guys are ecstatic, hugging and yelling and yeah, Bill feels pretty great. But he can’t help but wish that it was Alex throwing his arms around him.

Bill celebrates in the locker room for a while, lets himself get soaked in champagne and takes a couple of photos for Instagram. He keeps glancing down at his phone, expecting a call or a text or _something_ from Alex. It wouldn’t be too late for Bill to call him; they’re in the same time zone, no matter how far away it seems. Bill’s thumb is hovering over Alex’s number when he’s smacked on the back, hard. Bill squawks, nearly dropping his phone on the floor of the locker room.

Willy looks startled. “Sorry, man,” he says, throwing up his hands as if in surrender. He holds out a bottle to Bill. “Beer?” Bill shakes his head.

“I, uh, was just thinking about calling Alex,” Bill says, staring at his hands. “He hasn’t called or anything yet. I kind of thought he would.”

Willy looks sympathetic. “I’m sure he’s just busy, dude. Don’t worry about it.” Willy grins at him. “A bunch of the guys, we’re going out to this bar a couple of streets over to celebrate. Wanna come? Get your mind off your man situation?” Willy says slowly, like he’s not sure what to call it.

The phrase “man situation” gets a real smile out of Bill, but he’s never really been one to go out drinking. “No, thanks. I’ll be fine. Go have fun.”

Willy doesn’t look convinced, but he shrugs, gives Bill a much softer clap on the shoulder, and disappears into the mass of people, probably headed to go fawn over Nicky some more.

Bill sighs. He’ll call Alex when he gets back to his hotel room. Maybe they could even Skype. Bill really, really misses Alex’s face.

He hangs around for a while longer, until the reporters are long gone and most of the guys are headed out the door, some headed to celebrate and others to crash in their hotel rooms. Bill waves at Willy, who is more or less sitting in Nicky’s lap at this point. Willy gives him a soft smile back.

It’s not cold when Bill steps out into the street, but there’s still a slight breeze that makes Bill pull his coat around him a bit tighter. Bill stands there for a moment, taking in the view of the city over the Rhine.

“Hey, stranger,” says a voice, and Bill jerks around.

Rising from one of the street benches and walking towards him, impeccably dressed and with that stupid smile on his face, is Alex. Alex is in Cologne and Bill is running towards him before he really has a chance to register what’s happening.

They collide and Alex is laughing, wrapping his arms around Bill, breathing in the scent of the shampoo in Bill’s hair.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Bill asks, muffled from the way he’s currently pressing his entire faced into Alex’s neck. Alex laughs again, the most beautiful thing Bill thinks he’s ever heard in his life.

“You thought you were going to win a gold medal and I wasn’t going to be here to celebrate with you?” Alex asks, running his fingers through Bill’s hair.

Bill pulls back to kiss him, full on the lips. Normally they’d be more careful about being this affectionate in public, but they’re in Germany and it’s past midnight and Bill really can’t find it in him to care right now.

Bill pulls back, breathless. “You’re completely ridiculous. You flew to _Germany_ to see me?”

“Most people would call it a beautiful, romantic gesture,” Alex mutters. “And Germany isn’t even that far away.”

Bill loves him so much.

“So, celebrating,” Bill says, pulling at the lapels of Alex’s coat. “I was going back to my hotel room. My bed is really nice. They gave me the nice sheets.”

Alex smirks at him. “While I’d love to make use of your fantastic sheets, I actually had some other plans. Seeing as I flew all the way to Germany.”

Bill’s a bit shocked – he’s pretty sure Alex wouldn’t turn down sex on his deathbed – and he can’t possibly think of what there is to do in Cologne at this hour. He’s exhausted from the game, but seeing Alex had given him a burst of energy and he’s willing to use that energy however Alex wants him to.

Alex is looking at him expectantly, and Bill smiles at him, grabbing Alex’s hand and twining their fingers together. “Lead the way, my dashing prince.” Alex punches him on the shoulder with his free hand.

* * *

 

They walk through the streets of Cologne in relative silence, mostly just enjoying each other’s company. Bill had missed Alex a lot, even if they had texted or Skyped pretty much every day since Worlds had started. Bill’s a bit clingy, sue him. Alex doesn’t seem to mind.

Every couple of blocks Alex will stop them to look at a landmark, mostly churches. Bill’s seen most of them by now, but it’s different now, with Alex. Alex looks awestruck by the architecture, by the detail. Alex has always had an eye for beautiful things.

They’ve been walking for about fifteen minutes when they reach the Rhine. Bill figures that’s what Alex wanted to see; it’s pretty impressive as rivers go, Bill figures. But Alex keeps leading Bill onward until they reach one of the bridges that goes over the river. Bill and Alex step up onto the pedestrian walkway, metal railing separating them from the waters of the Rhine.

On the fence of the bridge, between the railway and the footpath, are thousands of padlocks closed around the metal. Bill can’t see very well, the streetlamps behind him not providing much light, but he thinks he can see some things written on the locks. Names. Initials.

Bill glances over at Alex, and Alex is smiling at him, not the smirk from before but a soft, adoring smile. He looks away as soon as he notices Bill looking.

Alex clears his throat. “They’re called love locks,” he says, trying to sound casual and mostly failing. “Couples put them here as proof of their love for each other. Then you’re supposed to throw the key into the river for, uh, everlasting love.” Alex’s eyes are focused on the wall of locks and while it’s hard to see well in the dim light, Bill thinks that Alex is blushing.

“Alex,” Bill says slowly, “Did you bring me here to declare your eternal love for me?” Bill feels like his heart is going to burst.

Alex shifts awkwardly. The confident romantic from before is gone; this is just a boy trying to tell his best friend that he loves him.

Alex clears his throat again and digs around in his coat pocket. He hesitates for a moment before producing a heavy padlock. It’s nothing particularly flashy. Navy blue. Sturdy.

“We don’t have to, I just thought it’d be…” Alex trails off. Bill takes the lock from Alex’s hand.

“Hey,” Bill says softly, and Alex looks up at him, vulnerable. Bill can’t believe how much he loves him. He winds his arms around Alex’s neck, pulls him in for a gentle kiss. “I love you,” Bill says against Alex’s mouth. Alex doesn’t say it back, then, but he already has.

Alex is grinning at him again now, that wild smile that Bill adores. “Let’s find a spot,” he says, and Bill thinks that sounds like a good idea, after a bit more kissing.

* * *

 

Finding a spot for the lock proves to be easier said than done, but they eventually find an open space, hooking it securely around the metal of the fence. Alex locks it. They step back to look at it and Bill squeezes Alex’s hand. There’s a piece of them here, now.

“We’re supposed to throw the key in now, yeah? For everlasting love?” Bill wiggles his eyebrows, which makes Alex laugh. Yeah, it’s cheesy, but they’re both cheesy guys.

They count to three and Bill tosses the key over the railing, into the waters of the Rhine. They hear it hit the surface with a plop.

“So that’s it,” Alex says, sighing melodramatically. “I’m stuck with you forever now.”

Bill rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. “That’s going to be hard for you,” Bill says in a voice dripping with faux sympathy. “Considering you flew all the way to Germany just to see me.”

Alex pulls Bill in by the waist and kisses the top of his head. They stand there for a few moments, watching the lights reflect off the surface of the river.

“We should probably get going,” Alex says finally. “I believe you said something about fancy sheets and how much better they’d be with a beautiful man in them?”

Bill rolls his eyes again, but if they walk a bit faster back to the hotel, hands twined together, then that’s their business.

**Author's Note:**

> [more on the love locks because it's the cutest thing ever](http://www.cologne.de/what-to-do/sightseeing/love-locks.html)
> 
>  
> 
> [follow me on twitter!](http://twitter.com/stantIers)


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